Under Red Sky
by dezagirl
Summary: Featuring genderbent!ATers, later. Marceline the Vampire Queen has unwittingly opened a portal between two universes and consequently combined two forces whose paths should've never crossed. Will the heroes win?
1. Chapter 1

**Under Red Sky**

A/N: It seems genderbent!AdventureTime has become too popular for its own good. Because I am a shameless sellout, this is a somewhat serious story about the genderbent cast of AT. Starts a bit slowly, but the genderbent cast IS coming. Very very soon. Have fun.

-/

Hunson Abadeer opens his fridge and peers inside. There is only smelly ham and a foul-looking jug of milk. He sighs and withdraws from the refrigerator. The demon king looks towards the window of his kitchen expectantly, as if waiting for a magical delivery of fresh lunchmeat. No figure approaches bearing deli roast beef, however; there is only the crackle of fire outside of his window.

The demon lord thinks to himself as he withdraws a bottle of soda from the fridge- one of the last ones. As he pops the tab, he wonders quietly why Marceline hasn't filled the fridge. It is one of her unstated duties, one of their steps in the familial dance. No matter what her father does, Marceline will always make sure he has something to eat. The soda goes down his throat and burns slightly, fizzy carbonation a little harsh, a little sudden. Hunson is often scatterbrained. When he's not forgetting to get food, he's simply too busy to worry about it.

Of course, Hunson thinks as he wipes his mouth, he really sustains himself on souls. But, sandwiches really do taste much better, even if they aren't as satisfying.

Hunson shuts the fridge door. Is Marceline mad at him? Did he forget her birthday? Did her dog die? Did he forget her prom?

No, he thinks as he sits down at the kitchen table. Marceline's birthday is in August. Dog? They haven't had a pet in four hundred years. Prom? Marceline is an undead vampire queen. He doubts seriously that she has a prom to go to.

Hunson sighs and listens to the crackle of flame outside his kitchen window. Just as they were beginning to get along…he thinks he's made his daughter angry again.

-/

A dark mess of hair appears from behind a tree. The mess- or, whatever is underneath the mess- groans in frustration and flings something that looks suspiciously like a gallon of rotten milk. The jug explodes against the trunk of the tree. "Work, work, you _have to _work!" the female voice screams. The figure withdraws from the tree and hisses. Then, suddenly, the figure warps into a large beast.

"WORK!" The beast screeches. The tree stands placidly.

The figure retreats into its form and sighs, dropping to the ground in a cross-legged sit. The girl turns to the quickly dimming sky and sighs. She could almost be mistaken for human, if it wasn't for her gray skin and fangs. She rubs the bridge of her nose before looking to the tree almost pleadingly.

"Please," she begs. The curdled milk sits around the tree, almost mockingly. She squints her eyes and covers her face with her ashen hands. "This is so stupid," she says into her hands, but there's no venom behind the words. When she raises her eyes from her cupped hands towards the tree, there is nothing but exhaustion in her face. "Okay," she says to herself. "This is gonna work." She slams her fist into her open palm and stands up from the ground.

With a deep breath, the dark-haired girl-no, vampire- steels herself. Her lips part. She pauses for a moment. "Ugh. I better get this right."

Her lips chant quietly, and her eyes stare at the ground, almost as if she is embarrassed, as if she's been caught by someone doing a childish act. When she speaks, she's filled with hope, and she feels foolish.

"_Give me what is desired, give me foolish joy. Give me that which is inspired, give me the hero boy."_

The girl stops abruptly and looks to the tree, as if for affirmation. The clearing is quickly darkening.

"_I demand what is good not be made worse. Give me the promised king and lord. I take this from the universe, and you shall take me at my word."_

The girl stands, unsure, as if she is reciting the words in her mind.

Finally, she bites her lips nervously and looks to the tree. She says the final words, the ones she had hesitated to say before.

"_By the authority not of my crown but of my soul, I command this act."_

The ground shivers approvingly, and the bark of the tree splits apart. A deep chasm has ripped into the tree, and is whirling.

The girl approaches timidly, staring into the newly ripped void. As her eyes reflect stars and blackness, she does not truly understand the full impact of her actions.

The vampire strokes the bark absently and peers into the portal, and fate cringes inwardly. The vampire queen has just made a pact with the universe, and the seal is her soul.

-/

"I guess she left," Finn grunts, annoyed. The path ahead and behind him is charred. "She just…walked off, dude."

Jake gives a sympathetic look but says nothing. Flame Princess is fickle and unaccustomed to attention. She does this often- leaves without warning. Jake doesn't worry. But, from the corner of his eye, he can see Finn biting his knuckles anxiously.

-/

Turtle Princess sorts quietly.

-/

In a dark, quiet place, a king laughs, skin dripping from bone, mocking grin a hollow in his skeletal face.

-/

In a dark, quiet place, a queen cackles, flesh rotted from corpse, biting laugh an abyss in her skull.

-/

Two parallel lines, without warning, become perpendicular.


	2. Chapter 2- Conversations With Yourself

**Under Red Sky**

Chapter Two: Thinking With Portals

A/N- This is going slow. Pace is about to get crazy fast. Expect sword fights and death, and some romantic intrigue. Also cool penguins and awkward jokes.

-/

Two heroes sit calmly in a tree house. Outside, the sun shines brightly.

One hero- the human boy, with a cap on his head and a twinkle in his eye- leans back into his chair and sighs. He buries his face into its cool fabric. "Hey, Jake?" he asks, hesitantly.

Jake- the dog- shifts in his own chair for a moment before replying. "Yeah?"

"You don't think that Flame Princess is angry at me…do you?"

Jake shrugs, unconcerned. "Eh. Not more than she usually is, dude." From outside of their tree house, an animal bleats dully. Finn looks up towards the open window.

"What is that?" he asks.

Jake sighs and gets up. His legs transform into long, spindly appendages, and he quickly stretches over to the window.

It's quiet for a moment.

Finally, Jake speaks. "Dude, it's Lemon Camel!"

"_Lemon Camel?_" Finn asks, disbelieving. "You mean _Earl of Lemongrab's_ Lemon Camel?" He stands up, and goes over to the window. He stands on his tiptoes and peers outside. Sure enough, Lemon Camel is standing outside, balefully making sounds.

"The one, the only, dude." Jake looks to Finn. "Why's Lemon Camel here?"

Finn bites his lip and scrunches up his face in thought

"I dunno, dude," he says finally. "A bunch of people and animals and junk have been stepping in our turf. I dunno, dude," he says again.

Jake frowns and stretches around the room. "Something's fishy," he says. Then, as an afterthought- "We should probably tell Lemongrab."

Finn groans.

-/

Princess Bubblegum sighs, and presses her hands to her face in frustration.

-/

"I don't even _know, _tee-pee," Lumpy Space Princess says dramatically, flopping her hands out to demonstrate. She's in Turtle Princess' library- the two are sitting at a table, drinking tea. Well, Turtle Princess is, in any case- LSP is too busy talking to imbibe the beverage.

"I _don't, _EVEN _know._" With that proclamation, the purple cloud-ish princess sighs and leans back in her wood-backed chair. Turtle Princess nods sympathetically, pushing up her drooping crown with the palm of her hand.

"I'm sorry, giiirl," she says. "I don't know why there are holes opening in your kingdom. I've never _read _about anything like _that_ happening!"

Lumpy Space Princess sighs and pouts, crossing her arms childishly. "Well. It's, like, annoying. Lumpy Space has more holes than, like, Swiss cheese!"

Turtle Princess smiles encouragingly. "Nice use of simile, giirrrl."

-/

The vampire queen sits in the clearing in the bright of day, her wide umbrella just barely shielding her from the sun.

The tree in front of her has a gaping hole in its trunk, swirling with black and purples. She strides carefully to the tree, and places her hand in its hole.

A hand reaches out and grasps hers. The hand is an ashen gray, and it matches her skin tone perfectly.

With a little difficulty, she manages to pull a teenage boy from the portal. He pops out with a little resistance, but manages to stay on his feet upon withdrawal; he stands, shakily, then steadily on the forest ground. He looks up and meets the vampire queen's eyes.

"Oh." He looks amused. "Hey, Marceline." He's clad in flannel and dark jeans; the two, standing apart from each other, look like a bizarre mirror trick. They're identical, besides their genders and attire. The boy's toting a plain black umbrella, which is shielding him from the harsh sunlight.

"Hey, Marshall," she says. Her bass guitar is strapped firmly to her back. "Wanted to ask how things were. In your world."

Marshall sighs. "I was literally about to open the portal. I wanted to ask if things were the same here as they were in my universe."

Marceline frowns. Something makes a sound in the woods and the two's necks snap in the sound's direction; their movements are in unison, both moving in the same disjointed, paranoid way.

It turns out to be a squirrel. Marceline sighs in relief and bunches her hair with her free hand. "We really need to find a new rendezvous point." She tries to wipe away her nervous expression and replaces it with a shaky smile. "So, what were you saying about things being the same in Ooo as they are in Aaa?"

Marshall blinks hard before crossing one arm across his chest; the other holds his umbrella steadily. "Nevermind," he says, turning his head away. "It's stupid, okay?"

Marceline grins wickedly. "Liar," she says. "The only time I ever break eye contact is when I'm lying." Marceline places her gray hand on her hip firmly. "How's it going in Aaa?"

"It's…" Marshall sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Lame. So lame. Lame like…" He trails off, and then picks his speech up again a moment later. "Fionna doesn't talk to me anymore. She's too busy talking to _Flame Prince_." He says the name like a dirty word and makes a funny hissing face. "It just, I dunno." He picks at the hem of his shirt self-consciously.

"Just feels like…your 'friends' don't have time for you?" There's a hint of bitterness in Marceline's voice, but it mostly just sounds depressed.

"Yeah." Marshall Lee kicks at the ground again. "None of the 'friends' I care about, anyways. Just the usual ghouls and creepy undead."

He stops and huffs, yanking his bass tighter onto his shoulder, like some sort of shield. "Plus Ice Queen decided to hit on me a few nights ago." Something glints in his eye- anger, maybe, or misplaced hatred. "Not like she was my _mom figure _for a few years there or anything."

Marceline bites her lip. Her two fangs protrude. "Yeah," she says. "Yeah, same here, only less hitting-on and more just…" The vampire queen sighs. "Just…he doesn't…remember…_anything._" Marceline looks at her mirror image, and sees pain reflected back in Marshall's red eyes.

"I don't know," he says. "But who cares. We don't need them."

A show of solidarity. Marceline nods.

"Yeah," she says, steely.

It's quiet for a few moments in the clearing. In the surrounding trees, birds chirp. The sky is a vivid light blue. A cool breeze sways the leaves.

It's deceivingly calm.

Marshall shrugs before sticking his hand in his pocket. The other hand tips his umbrella towards the slowly moving sun. "On the bright side," he says, "I figured out a way to transport more than one person at a time."

"No. No, no way," Marceline says. "My dad will kill me. The, the, oh no, the Cosmic Owl will kill me. This is already bad enough. We're not supposed to be doing this."

"Doing what?" Marshall challenges. His free hand gestures erratically as he speaks. "Exploit the loopholes in our universe so maybe our friends will have a chance?"

Marceline shakes her head. "You don't really think…" she says, but even as she says it she's looking to Marshall Lee with a resigned expression. This discussion has happened many times before, and it always ends the same way.

"Yes, I do," Marshall says. "I think Ooo- and Aaa- they're both…" He pauses and shifts his weight from foot to foot. "They're doomed. The Lich has her-" he steals a glance at Marceline- "or his? sorry- claws in everything."

Marceline says nothing.

"You can't deny it. You're me. Pretty much, anyways. And I can _feel _her freaking hands all over our world. Mom doesn't even like me going outside our little dominion anymore, because that's, like, one of the few places the Lich doesn't have her grubby fingers stuck into."

Marceline sighs. "Yeah," she relents. "I can feel…_his _influence everywhere. But that doesn't mean anything bad's gonna happen."

Marshall stares at her blankly.

A few minutes pass before he speaks. "Fine. But I'm bringing Gumball tomorrow."

"No, you aren't," she says, but already he's motioning to leave. His leg slips through the swirling portal first, and he moves to withdraw completely into it when Marceline speaks again. "Why?"

Marshall sighs and pulls his leg back out. "Because even though Princey's a total moron, he's also the smartest guy I know. If I can't figure this out, maybe Gumball can help us…fix it."

Marceline gapes at him. "You seriously think Gumball's not gonna flip out on you for pretty much tearing apart the fabric of our universe? We're talking about Princess Bubblegum's alter-person, here."

Marshall rolls his eyes. "I don't get why you and Bubblegum hate each other so much. That's something a little different between our universes." He looks to Marceline. " Not like I get along with Gumball- no way. But we both…hate the same stuff? Like, the Lich, Flame Prince, etcetera." He pauses before continuing. "And we know that, if push comes to shove, we got each other. But _you _and this Bubblegum chick?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. You hate each other."

"She's a brat," Marceline says flatly.

Marshall Lee snorts and grins wickedly, fangs flashing from beneath gray-tinged lips. "I doubt it's that black and white, dude." His leg disappears into the portal. "Alright. This time tomorrow."

Marceline sighs and waves. Marshall grins and waves back, body slowly withdrawing into the purple-black of the portal. Finally, all that's visible is his fanged smile, looking like some sort of Chesire Cat grin, before that, too, disappears, and Marceline is left alone.

./

Someone stands guard at a cave. It is a random berry-citizen, purple, the color of concord grapes.

He has been standing guard for three hours when a hooded figure approaches. "Hey," he says, friendly. Then, when the cloaked person advances, getting closer to the cave, "hey," in a more aggressive voice. Then, when the person has all but entered, a spear swings out and stops the figure at its clothed throat.

"You can't go in there," the guard says pointedly. "It's Billy's Cave, bro. Strictly off-limits until the grand opening. You know," he says, spear still pressed against the cloaked figure, "he gave all this stuff to Candy Kingdom. Says he wants it to be a museum. It's gonna be pretty sweet."

The cloaked figure says something.

"What?"

Overwhelming pain floods the guard's head and brings him to his knees. The last thing he hears is the whisper of death, and the last thing he sees are two empty sockets in a rotting face.

./

In another land, a Queen strolls her kingdom.

She takes pause at her river, which is typically frozen. Instead, it has begun to crack; little crevices have dug themselves into the ice, spreading across it's surface.

She 'hmm's, and turns to her penguin. "Well, Gretta," she says, "looks like it's summertime!"

The penguin squawks.

./


	3. Chapter 3- Crowns

Under Red Sky

A/N- Hey! I apparently have a lot of quiet readers. No matter, however! I hope you enjoy this chapter. At the end I've posted a link to a quickly-done drawing of labcoat!PB. Not very good, but hey! If anyone here has fanworks/drawings they'd like to be showcased, post in the reviews and, provided it's appropriate, I will post it in the chapter!

Quickly done update. Plot is forming. So tired.

Willing to take ideas or shipping requests .;

**CHAPTER THREE- Crowns**

../

A stately figure strides across a platform. Her skin is pink, hair a deep magenta, swaying around her hips. A crown sits on her head firmly; a ruby gem is encased within it. The delicate dress swishing around her ankles does not seem to match her demeanor- the dress is light, gentle, whimsical. The young woman- judging by her drawn features and quick, snappy steps- is the exact opposite, steely and reserved and focused.

"People of the Kingdom." The crowds around the platform sway and shift- stripes of red and vivid colors mark the citizens in the crowd in unusual ways. With each movement, different waves of color seem to ripple around. A steady sound of conversation carries from the large crowd. The young girl- the Princess- ignores their restlessness and speaks loudly.

"This is a mere announcement. Do not be concerned." These are the first words out of the girl's lips. Though her face betrays nothing, in her mind she is thinking of her peoples' good. She knows what happens when they worry, when they agonize, when they fear. Their bodies betray them. Candy shards spray outward as ribbons and twirls spin away, and their bodies unravel. Her citizens will quite literally combust if she is not careful with her words.

"Some of you may have noticed...strange things." More candy-people turn to face the Princess. The mumbling and whispering dies down. "Around your houses, around your yards. First, I would like to tell you to not be concerned." A few more faces turn to her. "However," she says, "if you notice things breaking or tearing apart near you, or strange creatures wandering near your homes, or anything which is unusual, please report it to the Palace. This is necessary."

The citizens look towards the Princess. They do not know that quiet guilt sits in her stomach. It's not as if she's really lying to them- she's just leaving out the concerning part. Just leaving out the 'why' and 'what' of the situation. The people do not need to know everything.

Her hand absently strokes her crown as the crowd looks around, confused, and then clap in accord. The Princess' speech is over. The citizens disperse, and the Royal Daughter is left standing on the platform.

They do not need to know that the Lich stands outside of their doors, that the holes in their flooring and the mysterious tears in the trees around them are the result of some strange inter-dimensional rift. The Princess will keep quiet on those matters, and worry only to herself.

./

"I brought him."

Marshall Lee appears from the portal, looking unconcerned, and strides into the darkened clearing. It is right before nightfall. As he enters the woods, Marceline glimpses something pink on his arm. As Marshall withdraws from the portal and becomes closer, however, Marceline realizes that the 'something pink' is five fingers. They're pink, shadows magenta against the crescents of fingernails. The color of bubblegum.

The fingers follow a pink-tinged arm, and the arm brings forth a clothed shoulder, and eventually, as Marshall pulls from the portal completely, so does a young man.

His crown is lopsided and sits haphazardly on his- again, pink- hair. The boy withdraws his grip from Marshall quickly. Dark eyes shift from tree to tree, and then to Marceline's figure.

"Prince Gumball," Marshal Lee announces grandly. At his friend's voice, the young man seems to calm considerably. He raises to his full height and pulls at his cloak. It is finely woven, a pale pink interwoven with fuschia and gold. Royal clothes.

"It's nice to meet you, Queen Marceline," Prince Gumball says, swooping close to the ground in a regal bow. Marceline looks over to Marshall as if to say, "what is this moron doing?". Marshall shrugs in response, in a way that says "yeah, he's a total idiot, what are you gonna do".

A look of mischief dances over Marceline's features- Prince Gumball doesn't catch the look, though, as he is still holding the bow. Marshall sees it, though, and grins wickedly.

"Rise up, peasant." Marceline's voice is harsh, and she quietly wills 'dread' and 'fear'. Her words have the intended effect, because when Prince Gumball peers up, he looks extremely worried. Behind the Prince, the Vampire King is willing himself not to snort aloud.

"Who," she whispers as the Prince wobbily rises to his feet, "told you my true name?"

Gumball looks horrified and shoots Marshall an accusing look before turning back to Marceline. "I- I didn't know-" he stutters- "I didn't k-know, that, w-well, what would y-you pre-f-f-er-"

"_I AM THE QUEEN OF VAMPIRES, FOOL!_" Spit flies from Marceline's mouth. Gumball looks appropriately terrorized. And now, for the final touch- with a raging look, Marceline transforms her face into a gaping, fanged thing.

Gumball passes out.

–/.

A fun fact- Prince Gumball screams like a girl.

–/.

When Royal Officials travel to Billy's Cave to check on the treasures and relieve the guard of his duties, they are met with a dead berry-being and a strangely undisturbed cave. The officials search for hours, but at the end, they find that only one thing is missing. It is a nondescript item, a crown. There are many tiaras and crowns sitting in the cave, but only the one is gone.

The officials check over their lists and double-check, and they discover it was a small child's crown, nothing truly important. Though the Princess will not be pleased, it could have been much worse. There were items much more valuable than that, after all, and they were safe and intact.

The officials left the cave.

–/.

A shadowy, bone-clad figures wheezes and grins, though the grin is so grotesque that it appears more like a look of agony. From one foggy black appendage a golden crown dangles.

–/.

Finn and Jake sit quietly, backs against a sand-colored castle.

They had came to bring Earl of Lemongrab- or, well, now the Earls of Lemongrab- their Lemon Camel back. However, as soon as they'd came, camel in hand- in- leash, the Lemongrabs had disappeared into the royal castle with identical furious expressions. The trip to the Lemongrabs' had taken them the better part of the day, and it was dark outside. Time to sleep, or it would be if the Earl would just _exit the freaking castle and let them leave-_

For maybe the fifth time in the last ten minutes, Finn turned to Jake. "Man, I really hope they don't, like, send us to the dungeon.. It's annoying, having to break out and stuff."

Jake nodded sagely. Bickering came from an upstairs window, and the two friends sighed loudly.

It was night already. They wanted to leave.

–./

The three royals- Gumball, Marceline, and Marshall, sit in a circle.

The Prince seemed calm, now. An hour had passed since Marceline's prank, and he seemed relatively at ease, besides his habit of glancing nervously at the Vampire Queen around every two minutes to check that she hadn't transformed into anything horrifying.

He is busy explaining something- his hands wave around excitedly, and his eyes are sharp, if a little nervous. "I knew the moment that Marshall told me about the portal," he declares, "I knew it."

Marceline looks to him, confused.

"Our worlds," the Prince says. "We're intended to fight the Undead Queen together. Or, that's what I'm assuming."

"...Undead...queen?" Marceline asks, raising an eyebrow. Marshall sighs.

"That's what some of us call the Lich. Lich-y's a girl in our world, remember?" Marshall explains.

At Marshall's light comment, Gumball looks horrified and smacks the Vampire King in the arm. "Don't _call _her that!" he snaps. "The Undead Queen is _everywhere_, Marshall. And she doesn't like being disrespected..."

Gumball trails off, some thought fluttering in his mind, before a concerned and sympathetic look from Marshall brings him back. Gumball coughs, in an attempt to compose himself, before continuing in a distracted way. "Well, that's all I was trying to say. When you say that stuff-" he looks at Marshall Lee pointedly, "you're placing yourself in grave danger. A flippant attitude leads to death."

"Don't need your protection or advice, dude, but whatever." Marshall still looks sympathetic though, and he's looking at Gumball with a weird expression.

After a few moments of silence, Marceline speaks. "No offense, guys, but are you really just not gonna explained whatever just happened there?"

"What?" the two ask simultaneously.

A vein twitched on the Vampire Queen's head. "The whole 'death' and 'SHE'S EVERYWHERE' and weird looks thing. And the portal thing, and the fact that we're supposed to be FIGHTING THE LICH, but mostly the weird looks thing. Explain that one first. Am I missing out on something?"

Gumball shifts awkwardly. Marceline looks at the Prince expectantly and Marshall shakes his head.

"You don't have to-" he begins, but the Prince raises a hand and shakes his head, face composed and looking regally calm. Marceline is reminded suddenly of Bubblegum.

"Sorry," he apologizes politely. "I just take the threat that the Undead Queen poses very seriously. She-" and a moment's hesitation, and then spoken words- "she killed my mother. My father too, in a sense, but she murdered my mother."

Marshall looks strained but calm, and Marceline realizes that Gumball must have told him this before. Maybe even discussed it with him, maybe even talked to Marshall about how much he missed his father.

A pained expression flashes across Gumball's face, and he bites his lip. "Took her crown, too," he says after a moment. "I think it was to disrespect the Candy Kingdom, in a way. But mostly, I think it was to make sure I could never be as good of a ruler as my mother."

The Prince chews his lip thoughtfully, eyebrows furrowed. Marshall is looking at him with an indiscernible expression, a frown in the works on his face.

Confusion must have shown on her face, because the Prince smiles politely, in a forced sort of fashion- (Marceline thinks to herself that Gumball must be hurting, reminded of his mother, maybe, forcing himself to be royal and composed-) and explains. "In the Candy Kingdom, a successor cannot truly become the crown ruler until they have, well, the crown." The young man is smiling still, though the smile looks bitter and pained. "The crown bestows the title of 'king' or 'queen' along with many powers. Thus, I am still just Prince, as the Undead Queen has my mother's crown."

Marshall pats the Prince's arm. The Prince looks over to his friend, confused, but smiles after a fashion. "Thank you," he says politely. He looks to Marceline.

Marceline is reminded suddenly of her and Bubblegum's nonexistent friendship. She didn't even have a clue what happened to Bubblegum's parents. Yet, Gumball had obviously told Marshall this before, probably even told him about it in painful detail. A pang of bitterness and- jealousy?- sears in Marceline.

Marshall looks suddenly to the stars twinkling in the sky.

"Gob," he says. "It's late."

Gumball rubs at his eyes before nodding. "Yes, it is." He looks to Marceline in an apologetic way. "It was nice meeting you. I think I need to go back to Aaa now- the palace will be expecting me." He nods to Marshall. "Marshall will, of course, be welcome to stay here. I will have to leave."

Marshall stands up abruptly and brushes off the knees of his pantlegs, which have grass and dirt stuck to them. "Nah, I probably need to go to. You've never went in the portal alone. You might die or something stupid."

A sour expression crosses Gumball's face. "I am super competent," he says, crossing his arms. Marshall sticks out his tongue. In response, the Prince rolls his eyes and looks to Marceline.

"I'm longwinded," he says, and shifts from his crouch on the ground, stretching his legs out against the grass. He surveys the grass stains on his pale pink, probably expensive slacks with a look of distaste. "Ah, glob."

"That's right, you _are _a windbag.," Marshall says suddenly. "Acceptance is the first step to change, though," Marshall taunts. The Prince flicks his hand in Marshall's direction irritably before continuing to speak.

"Anyways. I wasted a lot of time, today, and I couldn't finish almost anything I wanted to talk about, and I feel guilty-"

"No need to apologize," Marceline says. "It all sounds super complicated. And a little boring. No offence."

Gumball nods. "Yeah," he says, relief coloring his face. "It is. I'm glad you understand that it's all really...just...hard to understand." He rubs at his eyes and continues to speak. "So tired...anyways, I wanted to know if I could come back tomorrow and maybe...explain? The portals, and how we need to work toge-"

Marshall cuts him off with an amused yet annoyed voice. "Yeah, dude, she gets it. Come one, I wanna go, I'm frikkin' tired." He stretches a hand out to Gumball and the Prince takes it, raising himself up off the grass. Gumball nods to Marshall in thanks and looks at his pink slacks. He brushes dirt off calmly and looks to Marshall pointedly. "You have grass all over your pants, too. Try and get some off."

Marshall twists up his face in a passing imitation of an ugly pug. "Don't wanna. Tried to. I'll just give it to my undead minion-vampires to wash."

Gumball fixes him with a look that is supposed to convey disapproval, but the look only serves to make Marshall laugh. Gumball relents eventually and chuckles.

"Well, it was nice seeing you dweebs." Marceline nods in their direction. "Thanks for coming, you especially, Gumball." She inclines her dark head towards the Prince. "It's helpful and junk. I don't know a lot about this stuff."

Prince Gumball smiles with pleasure. Marshall nods back and gestures towards the portal. "Ladies first," he says, looking at Gumball and waving his hand grandly in the portal's direction. Gumball scowls but snorts, and enters first.

After a few moments, all Marceline can see is Marshall's head in the dark of the clearing, poking out from the portal, and then even that disappears, and she is left alone, tired and confused and a little amused, sitting in the grass

–./

Turtle Princess roams through and around bookshelves.

–./

A janitor sweeps in a castle.

–./

A crown, gained. An alliance, formed.

–./

A/N- oh god shoot me. I want sleep.

Pic- /F7tpVWP

bye!


	4. Chapter 4- Fire, Forest, Failure

a/n- D: the Finnceline is on its way. Promise!

R&R

Chapter after this is when all of our multiverse folks meet up, so keep an eye out!

Chapter Four- Fire, Forest, Failure

Fionna swirls.

She swirls in sync with her blades as they cut down tree demons. Her feet turn in rhythm and another beast falls. Behind her, a fire blazes before collecting itself into a male face, topped with a flaming mohawk with fingers-of-tendrils-of-fire-

She strikes, and the leaves fall, and the fire burns them away, while a cat watches behind a tree.

"Dude, this is awesome!" the blonde girl laughs, swiveling her foot to kick a monster square in the chest. The fire-boy grins wickedly and his flames devour a nearby beast.

Yes, the cat decides, watching her sister fight with- dance with, in an odd enough way- the boy. They are a good team, though a little unconventional.

* * *

"What do you mean, the crown's gone?" Marshall Lee asks, warily.

The Prince and the King stand in front of a golden column within the Royal Castle; in the middle of the golden column, which rises to the regal domed ceiling of the castle, is a fluctuating circle of energy. A portal, most would call it.

The Prince frowns at Marshall. "I mean, _the crown has been stolen._ Not mine, of course-" he adds hastily, gesturing towards his ruby-topped crown- "-and not the Royal one, that was taken long ago by the Undead Queen-but the one stored in Beryl's Cave. The Child's Crown."

Marshall feels sick, and the world spins for a moment. "What?" he asks, blankly.

Prince Gumball nods, and suddenly the golden-leafed walls of the castle seem much too bright, and the sunlight streaming through the large windows seems almost painful. Marshall hisses and Gumball must notice it, because the Prince rushedly fetches an umbrella from an umbrella holder and brings it to the Vampire King.

"Thanks," Marshall says, pushing the umbrella with his gray hand. The umbrella blossoms outward, casting a shadow in which Marshall can stand. He collects himself for a moment before he speaks-

"What the _glob? _When did this happen?" Marshall asks. He knows admittedly little about the Crown, but he does know it's important, important enough to make Gumball look sick and frightened. "Come on, dude, and explain."

Gumball takes a breath before beginning. "It happened yesterday. Right before you and I returned from the other world, in fact." A look of guilt crosses the Prince's face, but it passes quickly. "I returned from our little adventure to find out that the Cave had been ransacked, and only one item taken."

Suddenly Gumball stops and presses his hands to his face.

"Nobody even understands the enormity of it. Nobody knows that anything's wrong. I lied to my people, they don't know- they could be, be hurt- killed- because I won't tell them _anything-_"

Marshall Lee shakes his head quickly, and a sort of panic flares up inside of him. Emotions make him uncomfortable, especially emotions on the sorrow-spectrum. "Okay, dude, calm down. It's not your fault; they would explode if they knew. Right?"

The Prince looks ill. "Logically, I know that," he says. "But, I don't _believe _it. Okay?"

The Prince looks unsure, and sick, and frightened, and Marshall feels a pang of guilt and then anger. It must have been the Lich, Marshall is sure of it. Only the Lich could've done it- and this feeling is confirmed when the Prince continues to speak. "The cave was protected by magic guards and runes, as well as a ton of booby-traps- of course," Gumball murmurs quietly, "we were working on disabling those- it wouldn't do well to have our museum visitors be disemboweled by a missed trap."

"So it had to have been the Lich," Marshall says, giving Gumball a 'duh' look. "Only the Lich would be powerful enough to get past all of that magic stuff." When no answer came, Marshall prodded with a, "_right?"_

Gumball paused and twisted his hands. His eyes became shadowed as he bowed his head in thought and worry.

"I…suppose," he conceded, finally. "Though I wish it wasn't." He looks back up to Marshall. "I don't think I can go with you tonight." He looks away, and peers distantly at the walls of the castle.

It takes a moment for the meaning of the words to sink in. When it does, Marshall feels a sudden surge of anger.

The Prince continues, oblivious to the Vampire King's furious expression, still looking at the castle walls. "If I leave, and something happens when I'm gone-"

Marshall cuts him off abruptly, with a voice that could cut steel. "Then _what_? You're doing this to help them, dude! If you come with me, we can figure out how to beat the Lich. _Together, _with Marceline and- and her friends-" he pauses, breathes deeply, continues- "and then you won't have to _worry _anymore, Gumball. We'll fix it. With their help." The Vampire King expectantly stares at the Prince.

The Prince looks stricken as he holds Marshall's gaze. Finally, his eyes drop to the floor.

"Okay," he says. "But- just know that- I feel like-…"

"What?" Marshall asks, impatiently, red eyes flashing in annoyance. The Prince grimaces before speaking.

"I just don't think that I can do it. Alone, anyways. I _bake_, okay? And, though your Marceline really is a lovely girl-" Marshall notes with displeasure that Gumball's fallen back into his habit of polite speech- "-she will not be sufficient to help us in this endeavor."

Marshall watches as the Prince takes on an expression of guilt. "I tried to contact Fionna," he says quietly. "I thought maybe she could help. But I fear she is finished with me. I think, in pursuing her, I was too forward- she was not interested in me, yet still I tried to win her."

Marshall frowns in thought. "What?" Gumball asks.

The Vampire King shakes his head. "Nothing. Just, different strokes for different multiverse folks." At that, Gumball only looks more confused. Marshall chuckles.

"It's just, in the, uh, other universe? Alterna-you was _not _interested in alterna-uh, Fionna? Yeah. I dunno, Marceline explained it a little, it was pretty funny." Self-conscious of himself, Marshall coughs awkwardly. "Yeah. Not funny, maybe. I dunno," he says again. He shifts his umbrella from hand to hand.

After a moment, Gumball speaks. "I've noticed a few discrepancies," he begins slowly, "between our universe…and- theirs-…"

He pauses and looks uncomfortable. "When we go, we must convince Marceline to bring _her_ Bubblegum to the portal, as well as Finn," he says abruptly.

Marshall nods slowly. "Fine, okay. I'll pop in through the portal and tell her to bring them. Tonight?"

"Yes."

Marshall grunts in annoyance and turns on his sneaker-clad heel. "Fine," he says again. "I'm going back to my old haunt, now- your digs _suck,_" he jokes, injecting fake levity into his voice. He turns his face to the Prince suddenly, fangs peeking out, face looking mischievous, red eyes glinting. "Get it? My old- _haunt_-"

The King wheezes with laughter as the Prince groans in annoyance, covering his face with tinted-pink hands. Behind the Prince's fingers, however, a relieved smile peeks out.

As Marshall quietly leaves the castle later, reminiscing on the strange and drifting conversation, his mind skips on that scene, over and over. Pauses, and looks at it. Perhaps the Prince was grateful for Marshall's understanding. Perhaps he was grateful that the conversation was over. Perhaps he was grateful that the talk had ended on a light note.

Who knows, Marshall thinks to himself, as his feet float above the Kingdom's stone-and-peppermint pathways. As he floats away, he realizes suddenly that Gumball had stealthily avoided answering his question- what _did _the Child's Crown do? Why was it so important?

The Vampire King hissed in annoyance before laughing as he continued to float down the path. Gumball was sneaky, alright.

* * *

"My lady," the flame monster said, kneeling at Princess Bubblegum's feet. The beast was an envoy from the Flame Kingdom; Bubblegum had requested details on the situation in that Kingdom, and she was pleasantly surprised to find the Flame King had granted her request. She peered down at the monster pensively.

After a moment, Bubblegum realized the flame-beast was waiting for permission to speak. She waved a hand and nodded. "Please, speak."

"Princess, it is getting steadily worse in our Kingdom. The holes are ripping and tearing, and getting wider. Our citizens have reported-" and the beast pauses for a moment, then continues- "-seeing _things _in these holes; glimpses of color and light. Already, the Flame Castle's floor is showing signs of ruin; there is an entire part of the royal ballroom sectioned off, due to a gaping hole in its floor."

Static rushes in the Princess's mind. Seeing things- in the holes-

They're-

Oh. They're not holes, she thinks absently. The flame-beast is still talking, but she can't hear him through the buzzing panic in her brain. Its lips move and silence comes forth. They're not holes-

they're portals.

And they're portals to a world that is steadily becoming enmeshed with Ooo.

This, the Princess thinks as she watches the flame-envoy speak, is very bad.

* * *

When Marceline sees Marshall Lee in midday, standing by the portal-tree, she's surprised and a little shocked.

She becomes angry when she hears his request, but after a few pleas, she finally agrees, with an irritated "whatever you say, dude".

Marshall feels relieved as he slips back into the tree and into Aaa.

* * *

A blackened figure reaches from the dark, and a glittering gold crown, small and delicate, is wrapped around its reaching hand's wrist.

* * *

The Ice King shuffles around his castle, distractedly. Gunther toddles behind him.

The Ice King stops, suddenly, in front of his fridge, scratching his beard. After a moment's pause, he pulls the fridge door open.

"Only ham and bo-log-na, Gunther. Sorry! Daddy will get some turkey on his next flight to the Candy Kingdom!"

The penguin squawks in agreement and watches as the Ice King walks around, apparently looking for something. The King's crown slides forward on his head, once, when he kneels down to peer underneath a cabinet.

* * *

The Turtle Princess pauses in her reshelving and looks to her friend. "What, girl?" she asks. "I didn't hear that last part."

LSP gives an annoyed huff but repeats herself. "I sa-id, there's, like, a sinkhole in the middle of Lumpy Space! Didn't you, like, hear me?"

Turtle Princess blinks and looks back to her books. She glances at the title of the tome in her hand- _The Cosmic Owl and You._ "Oh, sorry, girrrrl," she says, placing the book back on to the shelf.

* * *

Finn backs away from the girl, a red handprint marking his cheek.

"Jerk!" she cries, running away, and her orange-red shifting legs fly into the forest. Finn hopes to himself that she manages not to blow up the forest with her anger. Last time he spoke to her, that's what she did. And it was really, really bad!"

Lost in thought (and misery, and a little pain), Finn leans against a tree and stares up at the sky. He doesn't notice when a dark figure clad in jeans and a red t-shirt emerges from the foliage and looks at him.

The figure clears her throat.


	5. Chapter 5- Intersecting Finally

**Under Red Sky**

**Chapter Five: Intersecting Finally  
**

a/n- Updates are even slower, as my computer is broken and I have little access to computers. Also, THIS STORY IS SO SLOW PACED HNNNNGHED and how in god's name do I manage to fill up like, half of every chapter with gumball and marshall lee convos. Ggg. /wordbuilding. do you guys want to see more gumball-lee talks and interaction? More cute finnceline? Flame princex his cat? WHO KNOWS. Oh wait, you guys do. So tell me what you want what you rly rly want

thanks for all the support! i am trying to update as quickly as possible but no time at all ;_; I will anyways though! thanks so much, r&r, and let me know what you want! TY

and go!

* * *

Finn had been startled at first by Marceline- having a vampire jump out, unannounced, from the dark woods around you tended to have that effect. However, he calmed quickly, and their conversation began, uneasy at first, then quick and staccato. Their current topic was the red handprint on Finn's cheek.

Finn had claimed a rather poor excuse-

"You ran into a tree." Marceline's voice is half-exasperated and wholly unconvinced. The boy sitting on the ground in front of her, however, looks resolute, and merely nods. "Yup."

"What, a _hand-shaped _tree?" the Vampire Queen asks, and the familiar sparks of anger fly in her red eyes. The boy- Finn- shrinks back a little.

"Uh...Yup?" he asks, grinning toothily. Marceline frowns.

Though inside she wants to yell out- no, that's not _funny, _Finn, and scream in rage and a little bit of hurt, and say something about this Flame Princess that he's oh-so-desperately in love with- she says nothing, and bites her lips hard. There is something she has to do, something that doesn't involve an awkward yell-conversation about Finn's crush's violent tantrums.

"Finn," she says abruptly. Finn looks up, and his cap slumps down a little.

"Sup?" he asks curiously.

"I need you to do me a favor- okay?" At his apprehensive look, Marceline blushes indignantly. "What? You don't _trust _me?"

Finn shakes his head, and then nods, and then looks confused. "No, I don't- distrust you? I mean, yes, I DO trust you. Uh, okay?"

Marceline grimaces in frustration but says nothing. The beginnings of a migraine pulse behind her eyes. "I want you to meet some friends of mine," she says patiently. "You'll be a little surprised, but, you have to promise me you won't...freak out. Please."

Her eyes bore into his and he shifts, uncomfortably. "Is this another one of your pranks?" he asks, finally. "Because if you're gonna introduce me to some, like, ghost-pires, I don't wanna come, dude." He frowns and scoots further from Marceline's standing figure.

The vampire speaks quietly in response. "No, Finn," she says softly. "It's not a prank. I just need you to...promise me. Okay?"

Apparently something in her voice strikes a chord in Finn, because the blonde boy stares at her and nods solemnly. "I...promise, Marceline." He sounds hesitant, but willing. "...Hero's honor," he adds afterward.

Marceline nods. "Fine. Do you remember the tree we used to meet at? In the middle of the clearing?"

Finn nods awkwardly and flushes. "Look, if this is about...uh, us, Marceline, I-"

"No, it's not," she says, a little harshly, and then- "no, look, just- please, that's where they'll be. At our tree."

A childish part of Marceline protests inwardly. Not _our _tree. Only my tree. But Marceline knows that she gave that spot to Finn, too, long ago, when they first sat underneath its shade, and talked to each other. When the blonde boy stroked its brown bark as if the tree were a soft animal; when the two climbed its branches at night, because the sun would burn Marceline in the day; when Marceline would visit the tree for quiet and find Finn already there, waiting soberly, with a plastic pack of strawberries;

when those things happened, the tree became _theirs. _Not _Finn_'s or _Marceline_'s.

Marceline cuts off that tangent of thought and looks to Finn. "So will you be there?"

Finn's eyes betray anxiousness, but he nods firmly. "Absolutely, dude." His mouth twists a little, then, and something flickers in his innocent eyes- but then he nods again. "Absolutely," weaker.

* * *

…

The princess is harder to face than Finn. Marceline finds herself in front of the royal castle with a pounding migraine. The tingles of pain had formed into a dull and then sharp ache in her brain.

She wondered about her headaches as she knocked at the castle door. They must be psychological, she thinks quietly. She's not alive- it can't be caused by anything else besides her own mind.

The royal door creaks loudly, and then swings open slowly. A small, yellow-wrapped guard peers out from the castle before stepping out of the shade of the door. "Who goes there!" it demands, in a high voice.

Despite herself, Marceline smiles. The Candy Kingdom citizens are too cute. "What's up, butterscotch-bro. I'm looking for the Princess." Marceline grins sharply and twirls her black hair listlessly around a gray knuckle. This does not have the intended effect of getting the Princess immediately- instead, the guard looks suspicious.

Marceline huffs and floats a little bit more above the candy-bricked path. She can practically _see _the interior of the castle. If the stupid guard would just let her in...she could just break in. Run past him. The little candy-man would be panicked, of course, but hey, who cares about that. It doesn't matter. Just run. Just do what you want, Marcie, what you-

Marceline shakes her head abruptly. The guard fixes her with a confused look.

_No, _something inside Marceline says. The Vampire Queen realizes, numbly, that she won't run past the guard, because that would make Bubblegum mad. And why does she care about making Bubblegum mad? she asks her protesting mind. Because she's your friend, the creaking gears of her brain reply stupidly, and the migraine pounds louder.

Marceline runs her fangs over her mouth absently, and the guard tenses. She stops that, then, and crosses her arms.

She thinks for a moment before speaking. "Tell the Princess that Marshmallow's calling in her favor."

The guard stares, quizzically, but Marceline stands firm. "She'll know what you're talking about."

As the yellow wrapper toddles off into the recesses of the castle, letting the door shut agonizingly slow behind her, Marceline wonders to herself what's up with all of the new security. Last time she visited the castle- which was a long time ago, mind, back when the sight of Bubblegum didn't make her want to rend flesh- there were no guards, no security, nothing. Anyone could waltz in and hold court with royalty. She wonders what happened to change that.

Something cold rolls in her stomach. Maybe they know about the portal

no

they can't. And so Marceline rubs at her face tiredly, and wonders at the dark sky- it's already nightfall?- and jolts a little in surprise when the candyman comes back out and says yes, young lady, the Princess says come up to her chambers.

* * *

…

When Marshall comes to the castle again, he finds Gumball sitting cross-legged in front of the portal, with a dazed look.

Mischievously, Marshall creeps up behind his friend and suddenly yells. Gumball falls over and screeches, and swivels on the floor only to look up at his very incredibly stupid vampire friend.

"Oh, Glob," the Prince breathes heavily. "It's just you." Then, he reaches out from the ground and slaps Marshall on the leg. "Wait- it's _you!_" he scowls, hands clenching and face clenching in anger. "I hate you- how- why would you _come here _after this aft-"

"Hey. What do you mean, _just _me?" Marshall interrupts, putting his hands on his hips firmly. "I am THE Marshall Lee, hottest bod this side of the Flame Kingdom. Aren't you impressed?"

Gumball seethes on the ground, sprawled out and angry, and- Apparently he is not impressed. Oh. And look, Marshall thinks abstractly, the Prince is reaching for his sword, and oh, now the blade is pressed to Marshall's throat

okay this hurts.

Time for a new tactic. "Okay, 'bello- mind telling me what I did?" Marshall's wiggling beneath the silver of the blade. "I'm sorry I didn't check in with you, or whatever, but...uh, dude?"

Gumball has a feral look, and his blue eyes have turned an unprecedented shade of near-scarlet. That is a little terrifying. "Why would you say that to me?" the Prince asks, and there's rage and hurt and anguish. "About my mom- you _know _that she- she-"

Marshall's face contorts, confused. "Bon? Hey, dude, c'mon. What are you talking about?"

"_You _lost your mother, too," Gumball says, the blade pressing a little gentler to Marshall's throat. "Why would you say that when- when you were hurt, too, Marshall-"

And then the Prince gives a ragged breath and the vampire leans forward and takes the opportunity to wrest away the sword and fling it to the opposite side of the room. "Now that _that's _gone...let's talk. What are you _talking _about, dude?"

"You know what- what- I, ugh, don't lie, just admit it-"

Gumball slumps and slouches back to the ground. "I wish you would leave, and not come back for at least a little while, please- just, you-"

Marshall's face twists and turns serious. "I swear that I have no clue what you mean, Gumball."

The Prince sits up a little straighter and looks at the vampire with a searching gaze. "But- you came here- to the castle- said that- said-"

"Said what?" the Vampire King asks, uncomfortably. "What did- 'I'- say?"

"-that, that no wonder my mom died, she was probably weak like me, nobody- nobody care-"

And the stoic, if a little wavering, words fall off into a quiet keen. Marshall cringes in discomfort. Hundreds of years of life have not prepared him for this. Rather, life has dulled him to constant emotion, and it makes him uncomfortable to see anguish. Especially to see anguish in his friend's face.

A gray hand reaches out, unsure, and rests on the Prince's shoulder. Gumball's face is obscured; his gaze is to the ground, and his pink hair falls limply around his face.

"Okay. I don't know what's- what- how...But- okay, 'Bello, I did _not _say that. I promise."

Gumball looks up, and Marshall is a little horrified to see wet tears obscuring blue eyes. "Are you absolutely sure, Marshall?" and Marshall nods, firmly, firmly, "yes, 'Bello, really. Absolutely," and then, stronger, "Absolutely," and his hand rests on the Prince's shoulder even firmer.

The Prince's eyes change from relief to panic. "No," he whispers, "no- then-"

Marshall's face shifts into worry. "If not me...then who," Marshall finishes lamely.

"Shapeshifter maybe," the Prince mumbles, panick-y. "Or, Glob, the Lich herself, twisting into a human form-"

"Not the Lich," Marshall says. "A servant."

The two look at each other and, in sync, start digging through their pockets.

"A token," Gumball mutters, "to know who's real and not. You can't let anyone know you have this-"

the Vampire King withdraws a bass pick with a hole through the top. "Get some wire," Marshall instructs firmly, "and tie it through the pick. Wind it through a belt loop. _Keep it tucked inside your shirt, so no one can see it. _Please." The pick transfers from outstretched gray hand to curling pink fingesr. The Prince shoves the pick in his pocket and wrests a trinket from his own.

It's silver and glittering, and Marshall realizes, probably very valuable. A small ruby dangles from its end.

"Ruby bracelet," the Prince explains, hurriedly passing it to Marshall. "My- mothers's," he says, haltingly. Marshall starts to give it back, but then stops- he knows Gumball will refuse. "Tie it around your belt loop, too," the Prince says quietly, "and make sure no one sees it."

Marshall does, and the two inspect each other for a moment.

"We need a password, too," Gumball says. Both think for a moment before saying something to the other. Both nod.

"Now that's settled..." Gumball looks tired as he speaks. "You can't leave this room, Marshall. We need to keep each other in sight as much as possible." Marshall nods, though his expression betrays his displeasure.

"We gotta tell Marcie and the others," Marshall says. His face then falls as he glimpses the clock. "Oh. It's too late, anyways."

"My hope is that our universes truly are more different then they appear," Gumball says. "Perhaps the Undead Queen is not yet as strong in the other world. Perhaps she does not have a faithful servant." He does not sound hopeful, however.

Marshall frowns. "We can only hope," he mutters bitterly. "And what good that does, huh?"

The Prince sighs. "I know the feeling. You got your axe?"

Marshall nods, and yanks out his bass. With a quiet word, its sides become sharper. Gumball nods approvingly and goes to retrieve his sword. As he walks across the tile, he speaks. "Contingency plan," he says. "In case we _do _meet impostors in Ooo."

Marshall's fangs glint dangerously, and something like bloodlust sparkles in his eyes. "The thrill of the hunt," he says.

Gumball sighs, walking back with his sword. "Indeed. And now we only wait- for about another half hour- and then...then, we meet our mirror-friends."

"Or enemies," Marshall says. Gumball glares at him, and the vampire smiles toothily. "What?" he asks, innocently. "Just being realistic."

* * *

…

The meeting goes by uneventfully, to Marceline's strange dismay. Bubblegum was polite and cold, and agreed on the basis of paying a favor to Marceline. A Royal always pays her debts, the Princess had said, chilly, and Marceline had frowned.

She strode to the tree, and Finn followed behind her. Soon, the Princess came- right on time.

And the portal swirled, purple-black angry, and hands stretched from it, and a quiet gasp was heard

and as Gumball and Marshall Lee stumbled from the portal, two figures fell from the woods.

Marceline swiveled. Bubblegum tensed. Finn paused and scrabbled on the grass, wishing quietly for Jake. Gumball and Marshall turned.

And somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

* * *

…

"This is _ridiculous!_" the Flame Prince fumeds flinging a fireball at his curtains. They do not catch fire, as they were already on fire, and this seems to infuriate the prince more.

"This is ridiculous," he says again, anger already dying quickly into a smoldering rage. "Fionna- she was- we were- 'hanging out' just yesterday. I do not understand why she is angry with me!"

The prince turns, and his eyes meet a small figure. It is a flame-kitten- _his _flame-kitten, a present from his horrible, wretched, definitely-evil, _so smothering _mother.

The prince sighs. "Oh, Cat. It must be easy to be you. Nothing to worry about."

Cat seems to shrug its firey shoulders delicately. It pokes a flaming tongue out, and seems to lick the pads of its feet before trotting off. The prince frowns.

* * *

…

A gnarled hand fumbles, and a crown falls to the ground, and makes a sound like a stroked wine-glass, and in the far distance

* * *

…

The Ice King pauses, suddenly, and feels something at the back of his mind. Something like a memory.

* * *

…

The hand darts and grasps the crown yet again, this time firmer.

* * *

…

The Ice King shakes his head. No, nothing, just a strange feeling of deja-whatever, he thinks, as he waters a plant in his ice castle.


	6. Chapter 6- Gumball's Portal Side Chat

Chapter Six: Gumball's Portal Side Chat-

A/N- Thanks for hanging in there! Another update coming up! Hopefully my updates will become more frequent now. Kk :)

note- if something seems off in the dialogue or story...it's probably for a reason. I am doing FORESHADOWING

and then ruining it by mentioning it in the a/n

less angst! More happy! Setting up stuff!

The last big infodump. Next chapter is intermission one, with lots of fluffy fun and pups!

watch as I switch between past and present tense x.x

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE END OF THE CHAPTER FOR NOTES. I have some stuff (more stuff) to say.

enjoy!

"What the glob?"

Lumpy Space Princess frowns at the crowd.

Marshall groans and shoves his hands onto his face. Gumball looks dismayed; Marceline seems troubled; Finn is confused. Bubblegum merely spares LSP an irritated glance.

From behind the purple Princess tumbles Turtle Princess. She falls into an awkward heap at the forest's edge before standing up carefully. Adjusting her spectacles, she looks up to the mass of people around her.

"Oh. Hey, guys!"

LSP frowns at the librarian and places her hands on her hips. "C'mon, TP. It's _obvious _that they're having a _par-tay _and didn't _wantushere._" The end of her sentence mashes together as hurt overtakes her face. Her expression changes immediately upon glimpsing Gumball and Marshall Lee.

She smiles in a presumably sultry manner. "Hel-_lo, _guyssss." She winks rather obnoxiously at the Vampire King. He looks momentarily horrified.

Gumball shifts uncomfortably to the left of LSP's vision. Turtle Princess gives the girl an encouraging nudge and a 'good luck, gir-rrrl!"

"It's- alterna-Lumpy Space Prince-" Marshall cringes away and Gumball winces.

"What? My lumps aren't _good enough for-_"

"That is enough!" Princess Bubblegum yells.

All heads turn in unison to face her; dark-topped and blonde and purple sway to her. She nods imperiously. "Thank you," she says sternly, before placing her hands on her hips.

"We have many things to discuss, and we cannot afford to be derailed by intruders. With that being said..." Her pale pink finger juts out towards LSP and Turtle Princess; the light of the portal behind them casts ominous shadows on her face.

"What must we do about them?"

Finn looks uncomfortable, Gumball looks impressed, and Marceline looks disgusted. Marshall Lee merely looks thoughtful, and taps his lips with a gray finger.

Finally, his eyes glance to his fellows. "They can stay," he says finally. "It's not like they don't realize what's going on anyways."

LSP has a imperceptive look on her face; Turtle Princess looks a bit more coherent, if distracted with fixing her crown. Marceline gives a disbelieving look to Marshall. He amends it quickly- "Well, they might not understand, uh, _fully?_ But...there's a huge gaping portal behind us, so...common sense?"

LSP looks extremely surprised; her black eyes widen dramatically. "Oh, my glob! It's a _portal? _I thought it was, like, a really big tree hole!" She looks to the willow with a bothered expression. "I was gonna be like, oh glob, it has tree disease _bad! _Look at the size of that hole!"

Marceline groans audibly and buries her face in her hands. A guilty expression crosses Marshall's face.

Bubblegum sighs and makes as if to interrupt; however, Marshall speaks before she can say anything. "You can stay- on one condition."

Turtle Princess looks inquisitive, peeking out from behind LSP. LSP shrugs. "Fine, whatever."

"You have to _be quiet _and _not say anything. _Ever."

Turtle Princess looks resigned to the fact and nods almost immediately; LSP looks horrified at the suggestion. "_What-_"

"Girl," Turtle Princess says quietly, nudging the purple cloud in front of her. LSP sighs.

"Fine," she says flatly, dropping to the ground and crossing her arms. Turtle Princess smiles awkwardly and sits next to her.

Bubblegum looks to Marshall and smiles in approval; the Vampire King responds by barely restraining a hiss. Behind him, Gumball shakes his head in warning.

The Princess lowers herself delicately to the ground, crossing her legs beneath her and looking to Marshall with an expectant expression. Gumball mirrors her action, sitting directly behind Marshall. LSP and Turtle Princess sit in the near distance, at the forest's edge; Finn stands up and walks next to the Princess, plopping down in an undignified.

Marceline is still standing aloofly behind most of them; Marshall Lee is left in the center, in front of the portal and Gumball, with an uncomfortable expression. After a few moments, Marceline sits, then sprawls on the ground. Her legs kick out behind her.

"Uh. Well." Marshall floats for a moment and reaches behind him to pluck at his bass guitar. After a pause, he speaks. "Well. Uh. Number one is...order of business...uh, yeah, well. Uh."

Gumball pipes up from behind him; the Vampire King jolts in shock and turns around. "What?" he asks.

The Prince smiles politely. "I said, introductions would be number one."

Marshall nods before slinking down to the ground next to Gumball. Resting his head on his knees and wrapping his arms around his legs, he looks around at the group's circle, the portal's light flickering behind him and puncturing the dark night. "Alright. Uh, we kind of already know you guys or whatever. But I'm Marshall Lee. Vampire King. And. Uh."

Marshall looks intensely discomfited at being the center of attention, and therefore looks grateful when Gumball speaks from next to him. "I am Prince Gumball of the Candy Kingdom. I am not trying to be rude, but I already know your names, and we have an emergency to discuss." At this, the group's ears collectively perk up. Marceline's eyes glint up, red and alert.

"Before that, though-" a collective groan rises up, and Marshall's is loudest. Gumball shoots him a dirty look, but to no avail.

"What?" Marshall asks, defensively. "You're long-winded. I'm just...waiting-"

Gumball shoots him a death glare and faces the audience; Marshall snorts, looking infinitely amused. "_Anyways,_ the pink teen says pointedly, "some backstory. Behind us is a portal. It leads to the land of Aaa, where we hail." The Prince pauses and flicks a bug off his shoulder before continuing. "This portal was opened by Marceline, the Vampire Queen, from your land."

Bubblegum shoots a dirty look at the vampire; Marceline floats lazily above the ground, not sparing a look towards the girl. "The portal has let us travel here and see some troubling things. The Lich has gained a hold on both of our worlds- the Lich is a woman in our land, just as an aside- and we are all needed- to fight-"

The Prince sighs and Marshall picks up from where he left off. "We need some people to kick Lichy's butt. And Gumball thinks that we have to work together to win."

Bubblegum nods, and Finn looks excited at the prospect of butt-kicking. Marshall Lee grins, fangs bared, and shakes his head affirmatively. "The butt-kicking is exciting me, too, dude," he says to Finn. He looks around the crowd before chewing on his lip and squinting his eyes in thought.

Gumball nods and presses forward with his own statement. "We cannot defeat the Undead Queen- pardon me, Lich- if we do not have willing heroes. And even with heroes- we suspect that something else is necessary."

Bubblegum peers at her alter curiously. "What is it?" she asks, notebook whipped out and pen at the ready, her gaze like a scientist's, cat-like in its focus.

"Something we call the Child's Crown- you've probably heard of it." At the confused looks, he frowns. "It- in Aaa, it exists- well-" He pauses and looks frustrated before continuing- "They say that the Crown has a great gift. Once it is worn by a certain individual, it's powers are unlocked."

Marshall looks confused but Gumball merely waves him away, irritated. "The Crown must be placed on the head of the kingdom's Hero. The Hero is a individual destined to protect the land. After this occurs, the Crown unlocks its own power. It's power-"

"What's it's power?" LSP blurts out from near the woods. At the gang's murderous looks, she quiets, pouting.

"A wonderful question. It's power is to _restore _power-" at confused looks, Gumball continues- "rather, to restore power to rightful rulers. Which means that it can deseat lords, instate illegitimate heirs, and basically shake up the land. It gives power justly and ultimately until the death of whom it has given power to."

The crowd looks confused, but less so. Bubblegum even looks understanding. Gumball, comforted by this, continues on. "A woman named Beryl was the Hero for our land a time ago. However, she retired a while ago and therefore cannot wear the Crown. There's also the issue that- well, er,- you see, the crown-"

"The crown's missing, goobs," Marshall says flatly, before turning to Gumball with a furious expression. "Why did you put that thing in a cave, not protected? Glob, I didn't-" his eyes flash- "didn't think it was _that _important, loser!"

Gumball sighs. "I didn't either. Until recently, I thought it was a legend- that is, I thought the tale was just a cute deal, a fairytale."

Finn speaks up quietly, and each head turns to him in surprise. "What changed your mind?" he asks, a little determination in his eyes.

Gumball looks down. "A man from the Flame Kingdom came to me with the intent of alliance. I'm not a King, so I can't really ally my kingdom _officially _with others- it's one of those weird, useless rules. He looked agitated- he started burning very bright- and he had a very frustrated expression- and he asked me why I didn't just wait for a Hero and use the Child's Crown to become King- that way I could ally with the Flame Kingdom."

Marceline looks positively bored. Marshall, meanwhile, looks livid. "What? When did this happen? Do- ugh-"

"It was a few hours ago," Gumball says gently, "before the impostor came. I didn't exactly have the opportunity to tell you. Anyways- I was so confused. I asked the young man what he meant. He told me all of those things about the Crown- I was shocked." The Prince frowns. "The Flame Kingdom's a good bit older than Candy Kingdom- after the Mushroom War, destruction and fire came, and fires formed into the Kingdom. Candy Kingdom was built by-"

Gumball stops abruptly and looks at Finn quite obviously before coughing. "Not a story for now," he says. "But, ugh- anyways, that would explain why the Flame Kingdom knew this and I didn't. They've been around longer; the man told me that his great-grandfather had actually seen the crown be formed."

After this statement, Marshall looks equal parts angry and amazed. Finn leans in, expectant; LSP and Turtle Princess watch, captivated, from the woods' edge.

Bubblegum merely purses her lips before speaking. "A question, if you would- who was this man from the Flame Kingdom?"

Gumball smiles, unhesitating. "Oh. A friend of Fionna's- the Prince of the Flame Kingdom, actually."

Bubblegum pales before standing up. "I'm sorry, I just realized something," she says to the faces peering at her, waving their concern away. "Please- if there's something else you have to say, say it." She motions to Gumball.

"One more. The emergency- there's an impostor- who's masquerading as people we know. It's a single individual. Do any of you-"

"Magic Man, _glob, _dude," he says before jolting up. "I gotta go- gotta-"

Bubblegum pushes his head down; he sits back down. "Calm down, Finn. What else, Prince?"

Gumball sighs. "I was going to say- you need to exchange a password with another person here as a means of identification." He watches as Bubblegum sidles up to Finn and both whisper; Marceline hisses in frustration before floating off to LSP and Turtle Princess.

After a few moments, they return to a circle. Bubblegum looks confused. "Why didn't-"

"Already taken care of," Marshall Lee says dismissively, waving his hand at her flippantly. Gumball frowns but then nods, comprehending.

"Alright. Uh...so..."

"Same bat time, same bat place?" Marceline pipes up from behind Finn. He yelps in surprise and jolts to the left; she cackles, flashing fangs.

Marshall nods. "Yeah. Just...be careful, guys."

They nod, and depart.

–

UGH THANK GOD THAT'S OVER.

You might not be able to tell, b/c I pull this all the time, but **I hate writing these infodump chapters.** But I have so much to set up and I totally need to do this- feel like I need to- so I can finish this boring part and get to the killing-Lich-with-enchanted-stuff parts. And the MarcelinexFinn parts, which you guys want.

In the reviews, leave requests for the intermission! It'll be sort of a break from the story, so I can write whatever you guys want- fluff bits, funny parts, expositions- anything! Kind of like a mid-story omake. So for those wanting specific scenes or anything, NOW IS YOUR TIME! Next chapter is a freebie for you guys!

Some questions to chew on til' update-after-next-

Who built Candy Kingdom? (Not like it's glaringly obvious.)

Why isn't Bubblegum familiar with the Child's Crown when everything else has had an alter-counterpart? Does the CC have some sort of alter?

Gumball can't make alliances? Seriously? (Not a question, a pothole, but beh!)

4. Why are LSP and Turtle Princess here?

Review review review with wants! Can't wait to write a fun intermission with fluff and sad and whatever you guys want! Seriously, any sort of prompt!

Love you! Bye!


	7. Chapter 7- Intermission

**Chapter 7: Intermission**

UPDATE TIEM

expect one next week, too. I am on top of this like cheese on a well-baked lasagna.

That's all i've got to say pretty much :p thanks for all of the support and reviews- even when i've left you all without updates for like, a month at a time :)

i'll also try to update one of my original stories on FP, so there ya go

**NOTE- anything that happens in this intermission is not! happening realtime in the story! They may be flashbacks or flashforwards- they have happened in the story, but they're not happening right now. So yeah.**

enjoy this fun-filled, fluffy intermission! Since it doesn't have that much substance, I figured that two updates in a week wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Next week: drama! Forced sleepovers! And Finn trying to kill Magic Man! (or not)

also the Lemongrabs get married

and...go!

* * *

**ATTENTION STORYGOERS**

**your intermission has begun**

**OF A DURATION OF TWENTY MINUTES.**

**Visit your kitchen cabinet for a selection of snacks (selection varies per location).**

* * *

1: The Prince and the Cat

It is strange, Flame Prince thinks to himself, that he has become so attached to a cat.

He watches, curious, as Cat stretches itself on his princely four-poster fireplace-bed. Watches, as Cat licks a paw imperiously before snuggling into the orange-and-red flames, and disappears beneath them into the 'bed's embers and logs.

It isn't even really a cat. It's just a flame-thing. And his horrible mother had gotten him the thing anyways. And sometimes Cat has 'accidents' and drops coals all over his room, which really interferes with the normally clean-smelling fire. And-

Flame Prince sighs and scoots onto the floor, eventually stretching his back against it and trying to relax. He stares up at the ceiling thoughtfully. The mobile his Mother had gotten him twirls on the ceiling, displaying bright suns-in-miniature.

Cat was his first friend. After he'd gotten out of the cage-

Something cracks in his mind and his dresser, supposedly flame-proof, erupts loudly. (Why, Flame Prince had wondered, did a Flame Royal need a _dresser? _His clothes are made of fire, for Glob's sake-)

and his trailing thoughts stray away from _that _particular topic and back to Cat. His first friend after- _that. _Before he'd met Fionna, he had been given Cat (and instructed promptly to go to his new room, lest he explode the world accidentally with his emotions.)

He thinks about how Cat had examined the room calmly and then proceeded to begin tearing it apart. It had taken two days of intense concentration and stoking to fix his ripped-to-shreds fire-curtains. (Flame Prince didn't really understand how you could rip fire anyways, and suspected Cat had strange powers.)

Flame Prince shifts on the warm floor as Cat pads next to him, and snuggles up. Cat was calm- usually- and his presence seemed to soothe.

Flame Prince suspects that, no matter how many friends he gains, none will be like Cat- Cat doesn't judge, Cat doesn't whine- except for attention, at times- and Cat cannot stare at him like he's a freak and call him a freak when he explodes.

Absently, Flame Prince's hand strokes Cat's head, and the fire-beast purrs in response.

Something loud sounds beyond his bedroom door- then, a yell- "_Firenz Ignatius-_"

Oh, great, his shrieking beast of a mother.

Flame Prince stands and exits the room, leaving Cat behind him, licking a paw and staring at the opened door thoughtfully.

* * *

2: Alone

It hurts and nobody understands

When the King strides in his castle and surveys the cold floors- when he peers outside to see icicles hanging on steep cliffs of ice, he nods. Occasionally Gunther will bump into him as they walk the castle halls, and Ice King will remember that he is not alone as he surveys the castle.

When he visits the Candy Kingdom, and sees the Princess, sometimes he will call her Betty. Her face crumples when he says this, in a strange mix of pity and despair, and he doesn't understand why he called her Betty, that's not her name.

Sometimes when he looks in the mirror, after a failed scheme (but the failure doesn't take away the fun of the scheme), he will have a strange moment, where he thinks, this is not me. And his name is not just Ice King.

Sometimes he is surprised to see black eyes in place of brown. Which is strange, because, really, _nobody _has brown eyes, that's not a color that exists, but still, he expects it, and he thinks a name to himself- Simon.

And when he wanders the cavernous, empty fortress he calls his own, he will find himself looking for a nonexistent child. It's weird and wrong, that he goes to the kitchen half-expecting a little girl amongst a mess of flour, eggs and butter smeared across the counters. He's never had anyone live with him. It's not normal to hear peals of laughter where there aren't any.

Though he doesn't think it in those many words, Ice King knows that something is wrong, and moments of clarity descend, before they are swept away in waves of forgetfulness.

* * *

3: Band T-Shirt

This is possibly the stupidest thing Bonnibello Gumball has ever done.

He, simply put, has _better things to do _than attend a stupid concert by Marshall Lee's band. There are files to be re-filed, and _important kingdom stuff to do. _Yet he finds himself standing in the middle of an _abandoned graveyard, for Glob's sake, _surrounded by dead spirits, staring at a make-shift stage built literally _on top of _some headstones. How disrespectful. He will talk to Marshall Lee about that, definitely.

Right after he listens to this distasteful music by the 'Scream Kings', which he most certainly_ does not enjoy._ He knows it is distasteful, even though he has never listened to the band, because Marshall Lee is in the band.

As Gumball shifts awkwardly amongst ghosts, zombies and the occasional demon, he yanks at his t-shirt. Two weeks ago, Marshall had gifted the gray shirt to him. It reads _Scream Kings _in poor typesetting, with a large tongue-and-fangs symbol below it.

Yes, so distasteful.

Gumball waits and watches as the band sets up. A dark-haired guitarist pokes at his amp and is rewarded with screeching feedback. A few ghouls discorporate at the sound before gaining their forms back.

A brown-haired girl sways at the keyboard. Her name is Girl, Gumball thinks, and remembers that Marshall Lee talks about her all the time, which is total crap.

Girl presses a few keys on the keyboard. Woah, so what, she can do a major-chord, he is _such a better keyboardist than her._

A ghost-thing taps at some drums. That's cool, Gumball guesses.

After a little while, the sound system is finally set up, and the music starts.

Some sort of unearthly howling, strange but captivating, starts up, and Gumball realizes that it's Marshall. The song is nice, and the guitarist is pretty good, and the drums are in sync, and even the keyboardist is...okay.

And the bass is perfect, but Gumball didn't really expect anything else.

Spirits twirl around him and the moon beams down and he thinks that maybe- okay, definitely, that this music is superior to the boring sounds of xylophones and computers that is custom is the Kingdom. And when Marshall Lee leans in to the mike and screams something, loud, raw, hurt, Gumball is surprised to find himself screaming and crying out along with the rest of the crowd.

* * *

4: Strawberry Starburst

"It's a candy," Finn explains sheepishly, yanking at his hat in an attempt to distract himself. Marceline smiles from beneath her umbrella.

Sun is beaming on the field they're standing in, and it hits the knee-high wildflowers in a beautiful way. The candywrapper seems almost iridescent in the sunlight.

"Found it in some ruins, dude," Finn grins, handing the pink wrapper to Marceline. "I figured, hey, you're a- uh, vampire, so...you could...Eat the wrapper?"

Marceline examines the dusty wrapper with a critical eye. "It's got an 'S' on it," she says finally. "What's that stand for?"

Finn shrugs and plops down into the grass, looking up at Marceline expectantly.

She finally sits. "I don't think this is, uh, sanitary, dude," she says, but Finn's lip wibbles and his eyes get sad. She snorts and rolls her eyes before popping the candy in her mouth. After a moment, she spits it out.

"This is hard as a rock, dude," she winces, wiping her mouth. She picks up the saliva-coated wrapper and sucks the pink out it anyway, before tossing it into the grass nearby.

Finn grins back. After a few moments, Marceline frowns. "What?" she asks, annoyed.

"Didn't you bring _me _anything?" he prods. Marceline grimaces, her eyebrows furrowing against her red eyes, and fangs pressing against her gray lips, before relenting and digging into her backpack. As she does this, Finn holds her umbrella up dutifully, so she can use both her hands.

She withdraws a book with a face on it that looks remarkably like Finn's.

"Got it from Peppermint Butler. Someone gave it to him as payment for- I think, uh...not sacrificing them."

Finn hands her the umbrella and she hands him the book. His mouth gapes open and his eyes shine.

After a few moments, he looks at Marceline with an amazed expression. "Marce- this is-..." He falters for a moment. "How did you _get this?_"

Marceline waves his concern off in a bored way. "Eh. Peppermint Butler traded it to me in exchange for a favor. I had to promise to read some kind of spell or chant out. Haven't done it yet, but I think it's a portal spell."

Finn looks suspicious. "Marce, that could be, like, a _dead spell. _Where you _die._"

Marceline rolls her eyes. "It's a portal spell, Finn, I know. I'm Hunson Abadeer's kid, okay? It does seem unusual, but, whatever. I'm going to read it out sometime this week- Pep-But just say do it soon, so I'm going to. Even picked a cool tree to make the portal on. So- do you like the book?" she asks, expectantly.

Finn looks up. "Yeah, Marce- it-"

He pauses and collects himself. "It's got _people _in it, dude. Like- like- me."

Marceline merely smiles. "Glad you like it." She scuffs the dirt with her shoe, and watches, almost shyly, as Finn stares at the book's pages in reverence.


End file.
